gone
by stanaticlover8
Summary: "With her disappearing, a part of Castle did as well. With her gone, the boys lost their partner, boss and sister and Lanie lost her best friend. Jim lost his daughter, the only family he had left. New York City lost their best detective and the women that kept their families and streets safe" Don't know if I should do a one shot or add another chapter? I don't own the characters.
1. Chapter 1

With her disappearing, a part of Castle does as well. With her gone, the boys lost their partner, boss and sister and Lanie lost her best friend. Jim lost his daughter, the last family he had left. New York City lost their best detective and the women that kept their families and streets safe. The nights grew darker and the days grew longer. The precinct was different without her around and the detectives and officers always looked at her empty desk in longing. Something was missing there and everyone knew it was her.

She wasn't replaced at the precinct, the boys just picked up her slack. Nobody wanted to replace her in hopes she'd come home. Castle spent his days trying to forget her through writing and his nights through drinking. He made sure to be there for Alexis and have a night out with the boys every once in a while. The boys had made an unspoken promise to Beckett that if anything ever happened to her, they'd keep Castle safe and so they did. Lanie spent her days working where she saw her best friend everywhere. She always expected to see her walk through those doors to her office with questions on their latest investigation but months went by, and Beckett never came back and slowly, things went back to normal without anyone really noticing. Of course, it hit Esposito and Ryan everyday they walked into the precinct that she wasn't there and what she did and everyday Castle wakes up to an empty bed. It hit Lanie every time she met a cute guy and picked up her phone to call Kate and it only went to voicemail that Beckett was gone. Left them but they all know why she left and cut them all off. Even if she left without a word and never explained, they all know. She left them to save them from herself and some days they hate her but most days, they just miss her. How can you hate someone for trying to keep you safe?

She's been on the run the past four months. Running from New York and from Esposito, Ryan, Lanie and Castle. From everything that she ever loved. She only lets herself keep in touch with her dad and only once a month if that. She's a ticking bomb and someday soon, she's going to explode and she's trying to minimize the damage. The threat on her head also is on their head and that's why she mainly left. It's why she's been on the run but today the threat on her head has been cut and now she's being chased. Not only are his men after her, but now so are other people looking for some fast money. Suddenly, she aches for Castle and his comforting words but she knows that's impossible. She left him.

They're hot on her tail, she can feel them gaining on her but she can't stop. She doesn't want to die, she suddenly realizes but it's not enough to keep her alive. She feels the bullet rip through her shoulder and she stumbles for a few steps and then gains her footing once again and she tries to make up for lost time. She takes a turn onto a familiar alley and races down it. The bullets hit the walls on either side of her and she risks another glance behind her and sees the two men hot on her tail. Their faces are blank, no emotion and she wonders for a few brief seconds if that's how she looks, cold and ruthless. She doesn't care, not really. She can feel the bones in her shoulder grinding together with each step. It'd been broken when she jumped out of her apartment window when she was trying to first get away from these men. Luckily, a broken shoulder, a foot that sends sharp pains up her leg with each step and a nasty cut on her forehead are the only wounds she got from the fall. She only has to get down this street and then across the street and she'll be safe. For a brief second, she thinks she's going to make it but then she's falling and she suddenly realizes that she's screaming. Blackness dances at the corners of her eyes and she can make out the two men approaching her with self-satisfied grins on their faces that she wishes she could wipe off but then suddenly, she doesn't have to.

She hears the gunshots go off and both men's mouths open in silent screams as they fall to the ground. One is grasping his stomach and moaning but the other is already dead with a bullet to his brains. Beckett glances up and sees a familiar face gazing down at her. He kneels besides her, murmuring something that she can't make out and then he stands up and delivers the final blow to the first man. He goes back to Beckett and picks her off gently and then carries her across the street to the motel she's been at the past few months. She wants to thank him but the words aren't coming out of her mouth and then she succumbs to the darkness.

She wakes up when he sets her on her bed. His eyes are panicking and she can see the worry dancing in them as well. Espo, she croaks. His gaze snaps up to hers and she sees for the first time the blood that stains his shirt, pants and skin. Her eyes find his again. Thank you, she says, softly. Shit… Beckett where are you shirts? Or pants? He asks, glancing around her room. She wishes she could say something comforting but she can't think of anything. Top dresser, she wishes. He can hear the pain in her voice and it only causes him to panic further. He races to the dresser and pulls out a couple shirts before going back to her. Keep talking to me, Kate. He says, wrapping a shirt around her arm right above the bullet wound and the one around her thigh. He can see she's lost weight, too much weight. Her cheekbones jut out too far and her eyes seem sunken into her face. None of that matters though. All that matters is she's bleeding out and he doesn't know what to do. Lanie is on her way, he finally says. Her eyes snap open, betrayal running through them. She tries to sit up but he holds her down. It's that or the hospital, he says. She doesn't get the chance to answer because suddenly the door is flying open and Ryan and Lanie are standing there.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the show or any of the characters. Will be another chapter but please review J

Ryan's face pales considerably when he sees her. Beckett only grumbles under her breath and doesn't offer a greeting, not that Lanie wants one. Lanie races to her side and pushes Esposito out of the way. The perspiration that is glowing on her face and the way her breathing is shallow only adds to the dread in Lanie's heart. Lanie swallows thickly and reaches for Beckett's wrist to check for a pulse. When she finds it weak, she starts to panic. Lanie glances back up at Beckett's eyes and finds them closed. Kate? Lanie says and Beckett's eyes snap open. You need to stay awake. Lanie commands and Beckett nods, her eyes unfocused. I'm going to check the bullet wounds, okay? Lanie says, gently lifting the material Esposito had wrapped around the wounds to stop the bleeding.

Call Captain Gates, Esposito tells Ryan quietly, as Esposito calls in an ambulance. Ryan nods, his hands shaky as he reaches for his phone and dials. We need an ambulance. Lanie says after rewrapping the shirts around the wounds. Calling it in. Esposito says. No! No. Beckett says, trying to sit up again. She hisses in pain and Lanie gently settles her back into a laying position. Javi, come apply pressure to this wound, Lanie says, pointing at the wound on Kate's high. He rushes over and does as he's told while Lanie applies pressure to the wound on her arm. With her free hand, Lanie grabs Beckett's hand and tries to squeeze it in comfort but when she finds her hand as cold as ice, the panic in her grows. How far out? She asks. Only a few minutes. Esposito informs her. Gates is on her way. She said she'll call her dad and Castle. Ryan informs them.

Castle, Beckett whispers, her pain obvious. He's not here Kate. We called him though. Okay? Lanie says, gently. Beckett's eyes snap to her. Lanie, Lanie. God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Beckett cries. Tears are streaming down Lanie's face but she nods. I know. Lanie says, softly. They hear the sirens approaching and hope flares in them all. Lanie pulls away, attempting to stand when Beckett reaches and grabs her wrist weakly. Esposito nods at Ryan to go intercept the paramedics. Tell Castle that I'm sorry. That I love him. I'm sorry. Beckett whispers. The paramedics are here Kate. You'll be able to tell him later. Lanie says, her voice cracking. No, they'll kill me. Beckett says and then succumbs into the darkness again. Kate? Lanie says when Beckett's hand falls limp.

The paramedics rush into the room with Ryan right behind them. Esposito jumps to his feet and pulls Lanie out of the way as the paramedics gently put Beckett on the gurney. Are one of you riding with us? We need to know what's happened. The first paramedics says. Lanie nods. I'll come. She says. Okay, let's okay. You guys cops? The paramedic, John asks. Esposito nods. You can be our escorts. We need to move. John says, nodding up at the younger paramedic, Anthony to start rolling Beckett out to the ambulance. Esposito exchanges a nod with Lanie and then runs to his car with Ryan. Lanie chases after the paramedics and jumps in behind them, grabbing Beckett's ice cold hand as soon as she can.

She has a bullet wound to the upper left thigh and another bullet wound to the bicep of her right arm. Lanie informs the two paramedics. While Anthony sets up her IV, John takes off her clothes quickly. After Anthony gets the IV set up, he puts a breathing mask over her mouth and then connects her to the heart monitor. John accesses the wounds quickly and then grabs pads and applies them to both wounds. I don't think it hit the femoral artery but I need to try and take its pulse. Anthony, keep putting pressure on these. John commands. Lanie keeps quiet the entire ride.

Lanie's left in the waiting room while the paramedics rush her to a waiting trauma surgeon who after getting briefed on her injuries, takes her straight to surgery. Esposito and Ryan join Lanie in the waiting room a few minutes later. Esposito envelops Lanie into a tight hug while Ryan paces the hallway. After a few minutes, Esposito, Lanie and Ryan turn to find Castle standing there. Where is she? What happened? He asks, quickly. Castle, Ryan starts. She was shot in the leg and arm. They took her to surgery, Esposito cuts in. Ryan turns to glare at him but Esposito keeps his eyes locked with Castle's. Shot? Is she okay? Castle asks. We don't know. They just took her to surgery. Lanie says, gently. Castle nods. What happened? Castle continues. Esposito exchanges a glance with Ryan and Lanie and then steps towards Castle.

Esposito keeps his voice low when he does speak so nobody but Castle, Ryan and Lanie can hear him. She called me earlier today and said she was in trouble. Esposito starts. Isn't that why she left? Because she was in trouble and wanted to keep us safe? Castle cuts in, his voice cracking. She said she needed my help. She told me where to meet her and I did. Esposito continues. Why didn't you call me? Ryan hisses. She asked me not to and I didn't want to scare her off right away. Anyways, when I got to the motel, she wasn't there and I was about to leave when I heard gunshots and then I saw her. There were two men chasing after her with guns and… they shot her and she fell. I didn't… they were about to shoot her again so I shot them. Esposito finishes. Did she saw who was after her? Ryan asks. Esposito turns his glare on him. Who do you think it is? Esposito asks. Bracken wouldn't go after her in public like that. Those men could've easily gotten caught and they could've turned on him. Castle cuts in. You think someone else was after her? Lanie asks, her voice small. No, I think Bracken is the reason she was shot but I don't think he's the one who hired the two men you shot, Castle says, nodding at Esposito.


End file.
